Automobile signaling device



B. BIRKENFELD. w

AUTOMOBILE SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION man APR.24. 1919.

Patented Sept. 14,1920.

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UNITE BENJAMIN"BIRKENFELD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUI'OMOBILE SIGNALING DEVICE.

Application filed April 24,

To (lZZ"llJh0/)'L it may concern? e it known that I, BENJAMIN BIRKEN- FEM), a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Signaling Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in automobile signaling devices of the type comprising an electric lamp with means for attaching the same to the arm of the driver whereby signals may be given at night through movement of the arm to following vehicles. r

In devicesof this kind, as will be appreciated, conditions de nant'l that the electric lamp employed be relatively small size, that protection for the lamp against breakage be provided, and that the attaching means be simple in construction and readily detachable. An object of the presentinvention is to provide an improved device ot'the character referred to in which the lamp while relatively small and provided with protecting means. will. when attached to the arm or the user. stand forth promincntl and be clearly visible from vehicles in the rear when the arm is extended.

A further object of the invention is to pro- ,vide an improved connection between the conducting wires and signaling device so that the stretch of the comluctors immediately adjacent to the device are disposed out of the way of the operator, and any strains or pulls on the conductors will not cause the signaling device to be turned or twisted out of position.

'lheinvention, with other objects and advantages thereof and the particular construction, combination. and arrangement of parts comprising the same will be understood trom the following detail description when considered in connection with the ac companying drawings. forming part hereof and illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

in the drawings,

Figure 1 is atop plan view showing a signaling device constructed in accordance with the present invention. applied to thcarn'i of the user, the steering wheel and instrumentboard of the vehicle. being shown in a v Specification of Letters Patent racem s Sept. 14., 1920.

1919. Serial No. 292,435.

1 4i i general way with the conducting Wires lead-.

ing to a socket on the instrument board.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the signaling device on an enlarged scale Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the casing for the attaching means removed.

Fig. t is a detail view of the guard for the lamp. g

While I have illustrated in the drawings a specific emboi'liment of the invention, it

will of course be understood, that minorchanges and variations in the'particular con-;, struction shown, as will .appeal to those skilled in the art and falling within the scope of the appended claim may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The construction shown in the drawing comprises an electric lamp socket having a supporting base part 1 and a socket portion 2 of less diameter than the supporting base 1. Extending outwardly therefrom seated in the socket portion 2 is an electric lamp, the plug 3, .of the lamp and the socket portion 2 being so proportioned in length that the lamplmlb 3 projects a substantial dis-' tance outside of the socket. In order to protect the lamp bulb 3 against breakage by contact with the top props or other parts of the vehicle, a guard is provided, the guard being in the form of an open frame arranged over the lamp bulb i, and mounted upon the support 1. The guard frame is shown as made up of a plurality of metal rods 4:, 5, (3 and '7, extending upwardly from the support 1 along side the bulb 3 and being'curved inwardly attheir outer ends over the top of the lamp bulb 3 and joined together. The rods -1 and 5, are fixedly secured at their lower ends to the support 1. At their upper ends the rods 4 and 5 are rigidly secured together and at the under side provided with a notched portion 8. The other pair of rods have a hinged connection at their lower ends with the frame to be swung outwardly therefrom, and at their outer ends are secured together and fashioned to snap into engage and removal of a lamp bulb from the socket.

9 designates a ring or band, to which the lamp socket is secured and which is adapted to detachably lit about the -l'ore arm or wrist of a person and support the lamp socket With the portion 2 thereof and the lamp, bulb 3 standing out from the arm at right angles thereto. The support 1 is suitably secr red upon the outer face of the band .9. It is shown located at the side of the band opposite the split'or opening in the band, '10- are circuit wires secured to the v side of the band: 9 opposite the point of socket around one side ofthe band 9 and connected to the circuit wires 10. The conductors 14: may be securedon the band 9 in any desired Way. In the drawings they are shown held in position on the band by looping the same thereabout as at 15, 16, and by a wrapping of tire tape 17. '18 is an outer casing preferably of felt or similar material. This affords a good gripping sure face and is of substantial tl'iickness to provide a soft protecting layer ol ypad over'lthe metal band 9, concealing front tiewthe conductors l4, and giving a finished appearance to the dev ce. T he casing, which comprises tubular branches fittin'gover opposing side portions of the hand 9 and closed at their 'outer ends except for a small opening in the end of one for the passage of the circuit wires 10, extends substantially flush with the upper face of the supporting base 1 and is secured in place therearoulnl by stitching or the'like.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings the band is adapted to be applied to the fore arm with the open side of the band facing inwardly and the lamp socket and lamp located' at the back of the wrist. 1 The circuit wires 14 connecting with that portion of the band -9 that is located. at the inner side of the wrist are entirely out of the way of the operator, and any pull or strains on the cir-v cuit wiresla in the outward swing of the arm to display the signal will not tend to turn or twist the lamp out of position.

It will be observed that in the special construction and arrangement of parts hereinbefore described, the lamp bulb 3 projects a substantial distance outside of the socket portion 2, and is supported to stand out prominently from the arm, at substantially right angles thereto, so that the same is always clearly visible from the rear when the arm'is swung out in the usual way to display the signal, the signal being plainly dis? cernible from the rear even though the arm should be twisted palm'down, or upwardly,

instead of being positioned to face forwardly. The lamp bulb 3 may be plain or of any desired color, preferably the bulb is of a color contrasting with the color of the rear lights customarily used on automobiles,

What I claim is: A signaling device of the kind described comprising a band'adaptedto be detaehablyengaged about the forearm, a supporting base mounted to be securely carried on the outer face of the band, an electric lamp electric lamp having a plug to engage the socket, said plug bemg of a length to prosocket opening outwardly from the base, an 1 v ject outside of the socket when engaged therein with the lamp bulb standing out prominently from the forearm entirely clear of and at, a substantial distance from the lamp socket, a'guard for the lamp consisting of a wire frame secured to said supporting" base and extending outwardly theretrom over the lamp bulb, and means forsupplying current to the lamp.

In testimony whereof I hereuntoaffix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

BENJAMIN BIB K E FELD. Witnesses M. LEHMAN, Ann STRAUT. 

